Gear generator



June 26, 1945. s; c. WATSON GEAR GENERATOR Filed April 5, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l r511. (Itfarneys:

June 26 1945 s. c. WATSON GEAR GENERATOR Fild April 5, 1941 s sheets-sheet 2 fnyen for Jydney 67 liaison June 26, 1945. s. c. WATSON GEAR GENERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed .April 5, 1941 13%??? for Patented June 26, 1 945 Sydney C. Watson, Chi

I iioiaims. This invention relates to a machine for and a.

cago. Ill, assignor to Tor- Vel Associateahaving as trustee's Sydney 0. Watson and Alvin J. Parcelle i 3' ApplicationApfil 1941, Serial No. 387,039

method of cutting or generating worm gears of atype known as barrel-shapedworms, and for cutting these worms by the hobbing method. The bobbing method is in general use for cutting spur, helical and spiral gears. One object of the invention is to provide a hobbingmachine and a method of hobbing which can accomplish the above result. The conventional hobbing machines forcutting spur, helical or spiral gears cannot be used for cutting barrel-shaped worms. One use ofasuch barrel-shaped worms is in an internal worm :drive where a driving worm is placed within a driven worm wheel instead of being outside of a worm wheel, as in the conventional worm drive. Oneform of the barrelshaped worm referred to isshownin the accompanying drawings. suchwormsarealso shown in use in my prior patents, Nos. 2,208,614 and 2,209,367, although they are not limited to that use. The machine of the present invention includes means adapted to carry and to rotate a hob or cuttenfl The expressionhob," as used herein, refers to a worm in which thethread is gashed or cut across to form a seriesof cutting tools or edges giving the effect of an endless rack when the cutter is rotated. The machine includes also both manual and powermeans for rotating and for adjusting the hob spindle, and means for moving the hob toward and away from the work piece. It includes further means ,for supporting and rotating a work piece, means for; adjusting the position of the work piece, and a cradlelike .member in which the work piece and its sup: porting parts are carried, and means for moving the work piece with all the parts that it carries. The parts mentioned, andother parts, are shown in detail and will be describedin connection with the figures, wherein: Figure l is a plan view away and parts omitted;

Figure 2 is a tront-ele vation looking toward the left end of Figure 1, with parts broken away and parts in section; Figure 3 is a. longitudinal vertical section taken at line 3-3 of Figure 1; g i

Figure 4 is a vertical cross taken at line 4--4 of Figure 3; t

Figure 5 isa View of one of the gears made by the mechanism shown in the other figures with parts in elevation and parts in section.

Likeparts are designated by like characters throughout the specification and the drawings. The machine may be mounted upon. any sort of a support or base i It includes a pair of verwith parts broken sectional detail tical members 2 secured to the base by bolts or screws 3, 3, or otherwise. At their upper end the members 2 carry bearings 4 in which is mounted for rotation a shaft 5 upon which a pulley 6 may be positioned. At each or its outer ends, the shaft 5 "carries beveled gears'l, 8; Positioned adjacent the members 2 are supports 9, 9 which carry asemi-cylindrical portion In which is grooved as at H. "The member 10 may be enlarged as at H; to provide a housing and bearings for a shaft l3 and a pinion Hi. The

pinion isarranged to engage arack l5 mounted to move in the roove H and secured to a "cylindrical ram l6 which is positioned to move within the semi-cylindrical section W. H is a semi-cylindrical member provided with a flange l8 which contacts a corresponding flange I9 formed on the member ID. 'I'hes'emhcylindrical member I1 is on its opposite side provided with a flange which does notcontact the corresponding flange or portion 2| 'cfthe member). The flan'ges ill and 2! may be in 'ccntactthroughout a part of theinlength but are at one end separated from "each other as showniparticularly in Figure 2.1 Screws Or bolts 2i! serve to hold the flanges 2B and 2| together or to draw them towar'd each other. The flange I8 .is "secured to the flange I! by bolts 22a.

At oneend the cylindrical member formed of the sections 10 and I1 is closed-by a plate 23 which is held in place by screws 24." This plate is perforated and isprovided in the perforation with a bushing-25 in which one end of a shaft 28 is rotatably supported. This shaft is provided at its ri'ghthand end, as shownin Figure 3, with a key or key-way 21 which is slidably engaged by-the hub .28 of a bevel gear 29, which gear meshes withlthe bevel gear 8. The cylindrical ram 16 is closed. at itslefthand end, as shown in Figure 3, by aaplatelike member 30. which is I held in place by screws 3| and which is perforated to receivea bushing in which the opposite end of the shaft 26 is rotatably mounted. The hub 33 of a bevel gear 34 is fixed on the shaft 26 by a set screw 35 or otherwise. An extension or arm 36 is fastened toor formed integrally with the member and is enlarged-or provided with an enlargement 31 within which a stub shaft 38 is mounted for rotation. At one end the. shaft carries a bevel gear 38 which meshes with the bevel gear 34. end the shaft 38 carriesa pinion 40. The member 36 is enlarged ator provided with "an en largement 4| within which the spindle 42 or hob carrier is mounted for. rotation. .At itsouter end At its opposite machine shown is illustrated in Figure 5.

the spindle 42 has secured to it a gear 43 which meshes with the pinion 40. The spindle 42 is shaped to receive a hob 44 which is held in place by means of a nut 45 secured on the threaded reduced end 46 of the shaft 42.

Formed preferably integrally with the members 9 are side portions 41 which are provided with upwardly extending portions 48, and in the upper ends of which are formed bearing portions 49. Caps 50 complete the bearings. The caps are removably held in place by screws or otherwise. The side members 41 may be joined at their forward ends by a portion 52, if desired. The various frame and supporting arrangements described are merely illustrative bf apsuitable form. The invention is not limited to any particular frame or supporting structure.

Extending upwardly from and preferably formed integrally with one of the side members 41 is an arm 53. It is shaped to provide a plurality of bearings. ,Thus, it provides a bearing for the driving shaft 54 which is provided with a clutch formed of the members 55 and 56, the member 55 being slidably mounted on the shaft 54, and the member 56'being fixed in a shortshaft 57 which is supported in abearing 58 and which carries at its outer end a bevel gear 59 which meshes with the gear 1 onthe shaft 5. A lever 60 is supported at any suitable point-for example, in a bearing 6| *and engages the clutch section 55. By means of it, the clutch may be manipulated. At its outer end the shaft'54 carries a bevel gear 62, and it has fixed to it intermediate its ends a pinion63 which meshes with a pinion 64 on astub shaft 65 which is also sup-. ported on the member 53. A second stub shaft 66 is supported in a bearing 61 formed with or supported upon the member 53. At one end this shaft carries a gear 68 which meshes with the pinion 64. Adjacent its other end -it carries a worm gear 69, and onits outer end it is shaped as at 'lllto receive a crank or handle H.

The worm 69 meshes with a'worm gear '12 which is secured to a hub 13a of one of the trunnions 13, 73 of a cradle 14. A shaft '75 passes through and is coaxial with the hub 13a and its associated trunnion 13. At its outer end the shaft carries a bevel gear 15a which meshes with the bevel gear 62 on the shaft 54. At its inner end the shaft carries a bevel pinion 16 which meshes with a bevel gear 11 mounted on a shaft 73 which is supported in a bearing 19 attached to or formed integrally with the cradle 14. At its lower end the shaft 18 has fixed to it a pinion'BO which meshes with a pinion 8| fixed on' a shaft 82 which is supported in a bearing member'83 which is fixed in a slide 84. The'slide is mounted on and carried by the cradle 14. It is adjustably positioned in slide ways 85 formed on the cradle and is adjustably held inposition by screws 86 so that it may be moved backward and forward across the cradle. Atits upper end the shaft 82 is suitably shaped to receive a work piece 87, and is reduced and threaded'as at 88 to receive a clamping nut 89 by means of which the Work piece is removably held in place.

One typical gear which can be made by the As there shown it comprises what may be called a barrel-shaped wormgear 90. It is hollow and shaped as at 9|, 9| to provide ball races for ball bearings. .It may be provided with a raised land worm. This is illustrated in piece 81, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, is such a gear in process of manufacture and, as there shown, the teeth have been cut for approximately one-half of their length. In order to adjust the hob 44 in relation to the work piece 81, there are provided two independent control means for the shaft l3 and gear [4, which serve to impart longitudinal movement to the cylindrical ram l6. Secured to one end of the shaft I3 is a manually controlled handle 95. The other end of the shaft l3 carries a pinion 91 which meshes with a rack bar 98 controlled by an air operated piston 99 within the housing. Any suitable controlling means may be provided for the operation of the air piston. v

The use and operation of this invention are as follows:

Considering the mechanism shown, which is primarily adapted for the manufacture of bar-' rel-shaped worms, it is evident that the barrelshaped worms, when used in the devices of the United States patents, Nos. 2,208,614 and 2,209;- 367, must mesh with and operate a worm wheel in which the teeth are cut on the inside to form an internal gear. Since the axes of the worms lie in a plane approximately at right angles'to the axis of the driven worm wheel, a section through each of the worms, taken on aplane coincident with its axis; is a true segment of aspur or helical gear, and there are in each Worm two of such segments, one on each side of the axis,

formed in any plane in which lies the axis of the Figure 5 in particular.

Each segment of the worm is described about a point 93 located outside the body of the worm and on the side of the worm opposite'to the seg- 92.. It is curved on its exterior about a point 93,

.tated about its own axis.

ment in question. One of these points usually approximately coincides with the center of the internal worm wheel with which the worm is in mesh.

The construction of the worms just mentioned requires that, while the worm is being cut. it must be slowlyfed or partially rotated about the above mentioned point in addition to being ro- It is'one of the objects of the invention herewith shown and described to accomplish this feed.

The hob'spindle42 is carriedin bearings supported on what is commonly known as a hob swivel 3B, 36, which in turn carries an intermediate shaft 38 whose axis lies in the same plane as the hob=axis. The plane in which lies the axis of the hob and the intermediate shaft 38 intersects the axis of the shaft 26. This axis coincides with the point about'which the hob swivel is rotated for adjustment to bring the: thread on the hob in line with the threads on the work piece so that the individual cutting points of the hob cut a suitable path in the Work.

This intermediate shaft 38 is connected with and drives the hob spindle 42 through a pair of spur or helical gears 40, 43 while the intermediate shaft 38 is in turn driven by the pair of bevel gears 34, 39 from the'shaft 26 whose axis coincides with the point about which the hob swivel 42 can be adjusted.

This hob swivel assembly is rigidly mounted on the end of the hollow ram l6 which is in' turn carried in a suitable hole formed by the bed Ill and bearing cap IT. This ram is free to slide endwise in its bed when necessary to adjust the depth of out or to back the cutter away when loading or unloading work from the work spindle. The ram is prevented from turning in its bed by eters of internal worm wheels.-

.thekey, which has r-ack teeth out in one side to engage the pinion :H mounted'on the :shaftvlS rotated by thecrank. handle 96, thereby providing means for sliding the ram longitudinally within certainw-limits. by hand. Also on the same shaft 13. is a pinion 91 meshedwith a rack 98 connected to the rodand piston of an air down by the bolts 22.

Locatedin the center of the ramand project ingthrough the plate 23 and free to slide through thebevel gear 29 is the shaft 26 which thus provides a connecting and driving means between the drivingpulley and the "shaft 8 and the hobor cutter '44; a a i Upto this point thehobor cuttenits functionsymethod of driving and means for supporting it have been described.

Thew ork or the worm to be cut will now be discussed. i

In the conventional bobbing machine the rate of feed is expressed as a linear dimensionjusu- "ally in thousandths of an inch per each revolution of the work because the hobis fed in a straight =line pastthe work in a direction parallel to the work axis and in the same direction.

essential difference is in the type of fe'ed used.

The rate of feed must now be expressed as an angular dimension such as degrees or parts of a degree per each revolution of thework. This is made necessary because, contrary to general practice, thework is nowbeing fed along a circular path ata predetermined radiusaround nitely located. In the conventional hobbing machine, the hob or cutter is fed in a straight line past the work which carries the ram 16, which supports the hole "one or the i In the machine of this invention, however, an j axis coincides with the axis :of the bearing in which the cradle swings' 'or moves. This shaft 15 is in turn connected to and drives the shaft 18 through the medium "of the bevel :gears 11,16.

Carried in suitable bearings attached to'the bed of the machine is an. intermediateshaft 54,. which is in turn connected at one end. to the shaft '15 through the bevel gears 62, 15a while at the other end it is connected to the drive shaft 5 and pulley 6 through the bevel gears "59.

The construction thus far described 'wiil accomplish two, objects: first, to support'thework or worm to be cut and the h'ob or cutter inter rect relation to each other; second, to rotate the work and the hob at the correct 'relative speeds by means of the adjustable and changeable geartrain interposed between the driving shaft and pulley "B and the hob or cutter: and the work or the wormto be cut. e The method and means of feeding tbeworkor worm to be cut pastthe hob or cutter will now be described.

The worm wheel 72 is rotated or driven by the worm 69 with which it is in mesh. The gear '63 drives or rotates the gear 68 through. or by means of, one or more idler gears "54. From the above, it is clear that the intermediateshaft 54 now drive or imparts rotary motion to both the work or Worm to be cut and the cradle which carries the work Thus, the mechanism herein described provides the following: Means for holding and locating the work or worm to be cut and the hob or cutter" hrtbe proper relative positions.

Means for rotating or driving the work or worm to be cut and the hob or cutter in unison at the correct relative speeds.

Means for feeding the work or worm to becut past the hob or cutter in a predetermined path at the correct rate in relation to the rota-hive speeds of both the work and the cutter.

functions performed, thes two center lin'es' or axes should lie in the same plane. tached to thiscradle 14 is a movable saddle 84 which contains the bearing in which the work-' carrying spindle 82 is rotatably mounted. The

distanc between the work spindle and axis of the trunnion bearings about which thecradle T4 swingscan be varied and set at will to accom modate different diameters of work or worms to i be cutor generated foruse with different diamtrunnions 13 of the cradle 14 isa shaft [5 whose.

Securely at- .A complete train of gears which, imparts rotary motion to all parts requiring such motion from acommon source of power or turning effort other prime mover.

A complete train of gears in which the proportion of the component gears relative to each other can be varied or altered at will soas to impart difierent relative rotative speeds to the work, hob and feed mechanism (cradle) in order to be able to cut or generate worms of different such as a driven pulley, shaft, electric motor or diametersand different numbers of threads or when using different and suitable hobs or cutters Within the limits of the capacityof the machine. A machine tocorrectly generate barrel shaged worms having one or more threads. r

In the generation of one of the gears shown in Figure 5. the following process is generally. carried out: i i i The ram I6 is moved to the right from the position of Figure 3, either manually; or by the through an are which may be that defined byjthe dotted. lines shown onthe cradle indiigurefi. Whatever the exact length of the are through The which the cradle swings, it is 'sufiici'ent to move thefgear'blank with relation to the hob so that the entire gear is suitably cut. Upon the com pletion of the cutting operation, the mechanism isstopped, th ram is moved to the right to free the hob from contact with the gear, which has now been completed, and the cradle is swung back from the righthand side of the arc to the leithand side of Figure 3. The finished gear is removed, a newblank isput in position, the ram is moved back to the workin position, the parts are set in operation, and again, as the hob rotates, the gear'is rotated and the cradle is swung and a newgear is cut or generated.

The assembly i 'adjustablei- Thus, the member 30 is adjustablymounted and may be swung so as to move the part 36 and all that it carries to anew position of adjustment. Also, the slide 84 maybe moved in-thecradle3 This may be done for many reasons to adapt the. machine for the generation of a difierent size of gear, and, when it is done, other driving means may be substituted for the pinion 80 and the gear 8|. 'All of the gear which drive the hob spindle and the gears which drive the work carrying spindle llz and the gears which are driven by the shaft 54, and hence drive the Worm 69 as well as the shaft 65, are arranged so that they may be removed and others substituted.

Iclaim:

1. In a gear generating machine, acutting tool and means for supporting and driving it,a support, said support having secured to it means for carrying a cutter and means for driving said cutter, and a work holding means, said means including a cradle mounted for arcuate movement, meansfor giving it such movement, and a work supporting spindle on said cradle, means for'securing a work piece to said spindle, and means for rotating said spindle, said cradle being provided with two widely separated co-axial trunnions, and a drive for said spindle, said drive including a part concentric with and passing through one of said trunnions.

2. In a gear generating machine, a cutting tool and means for supporting and driving it, a support, said support having secured to it meansfor carrying a cutter and means for drivingsaid cutter, and a work holding means, said means including a cradle mounted for arcuate movement, means for giving it such movement, and a work supporting spindle on said cradle, means for securing a work piece to said spindle, and means for rotating said spindle, said spindle rotating means includingparts coaxial 'with said cradle moving means. I

3. In a gear generating machine, a cutting tool and means for supporting and driving it, said means including a ram, a support adjustably mounted on said ram, said support having secured to it means for carrying a cutter and means for driving said cutter, said driving means including a shaft mounted concentrically with the ram whereby the cutter is driven in all positions of adjustment of the support with respect to the ram, and a work holding means, said means including a cradle mounted for arcuate movement, means for giving it v such movement, and a work supporting spindle on said cradle, means for securing the work piece to said spindle, and means for rotating said spindle, said spindle rotating means including parts coaxial with said cradle moving means.

4. In combination in a gear generating mechanism, a ram, a support therefor, means for moving said ram with respect to said support, a cutter carrier mounted on said-ram, and means for rotating said cutter, said rotating means including parts positioned within said ram, and a work piece carryingassembly including a cradle mounted for swinging said cradle including a pair of widely separated coaxialtrunniorisQ-and A means for swinging said cradle,'and a work'carpower means for moving said rain with respect to said support, a cutter carrier mounted on said ram, and means for rotating said cutter, said rotating means including parts positioned Within said ram, and a workpiece carrying assembly including a cradle mounted for swinging, said cradle including a pair of widely separated coaxial -trunnions and means for swinging said cradle, and a work carrying spindle mounted on said. cradle, and means for rotating said-spindle, said spindle rotating means including parts coaxial with said trunnions and parts positioned at right angle to-the'axis of said trunnions.

6. In combination in a gear generating mechanism, a ram, a support therefonmeans for moving saidfram with respect to said support, acut ter carrier mounted onsaid ram, and means for adjusting said carrier angularly with respect to said ram, and means for rotating said cutter, said rotating means including parts mounted on said carrier and parts positioned within and coaxial with respect to said ram, and a work-piece carrying assembly including a'cradle mounted for swinging, said cradleincluding a pair-of Widely separated co-axial trunnions, the longitudinal axis of said ram intersecting'withthe axis of rotation of said cradle, and means for swinging said cradle, and a workcarrying spindle mounted onsaid cradle, andvmeans for rotating said spindle, said spindle rotating means including parts'coaxial with said trunnions and parts positioned' at right angles to the axis of said llIllIlJIliOl'lS.

7. In combination in a gear generating mechanism, a ram, a support therefor, means for' moving said ram with respect to'saidsupport, a cutter carrier mounted on said ram, and means for-rotating said cutter, said rotating means in-v cluding parts positioned within said ram, and a work piece carrying assembly includin a cradle mounted for swinging said cradle including a pair of widely separated coaxial trunnions, and means for swinging said cradle, the longitudinal axis of said ram intersecting with ,the axis of rotation of said cradle, and a work carrying spindle mounted on said'cradle, and means for rotating said spindle as I said: cradle is swung, said spindle rotating means including parts coaxial with said trunnions and parts positioned at right angle to the axis of said trunnions.

8. In combination in a gear generating mechanism, a ram, a support therefore, means for moving said ram with respect to said support, a cutter carrier mounted on said ram, and means for rotating said cutter, said rotating means includ-* ing parts positioned within said ram, and a work piece carrying assembly including a? cradle mounted for swinging said cradle including a pair of widely separated coaxial trunnionsand means for swinging said cradle, the longitudinal axis of said ram intersecting with the axis of rotation of said cradle, and a .work carrying spindle mounted on said cradle, and means for rotating said spindle as said cradle is swung, said spindle rotating means including parts coaxial with aid trunnions and parts positioned at right angles to the axis of said trunnions, and a single power means, said power means adapted t move said cutter to rotate said work piece and to swing said cradle simultaneously. l

9. Inoombination in a gear generating mechanism, a ram 'a support therefor, manual and power means for moving said ram with respect to aid support, a cutter carriermounted on said ram, and means for adjusting said carrier angularly with respect to said ram, and means for rotating said cutter, said rotating means including parts mounted on said carrier and parts positioned within andcoaxial with respect to said ram, and a workpiece carrying assembly including a cradle mounted for swinging said cradle including a pair of widely separated coaxial trunnions, and means for swinging said cradle,

and a work carrying spindl mounted on said cradle, and means for rotating said spindle, said spindle rotating means including parts coaxial with said trunnions and parts positioned I at right angles to the axis of said trunnions.

10. In combination in a gear generating mechanism, a ram, a support therefonmanual and power means for moving said ram with respect to i said support, a cutter carrier mounted on said ram, and means for adjusting said carrier angularly with respect to said ram, and means for rotating said cutter, said rotating means includ-, ing parts mountedon said carrier and part positioned within and coaxial with respect to said ram, and a work piece carrying assembly including a cradle mounted for swingin said cradle including a pair of widely separated coaxial trunnions and means forswinging said cradle, and a work carrying spindle mounted on said cradle, and means for rotating said spindle as said cradle is swung, said spindle rotating means including parts coaxial with said trunnions and parts positioned at right angles to the axis of said trunnions and a single power means, said power means adapted to move said cutter to rotate said work piece, and to swingsaid cradle simultaneously.

11. In combination in a gear generating mechanism, a ram, a support jtherefor, means for moving said ram with respect tosaid support, a cutter carrier mounted on said ram, and means for rotating said cutter, said rotating means ineluding parts positioned within said ram, and a work piece carrying assembly including a cradle anism, a ram, a support therefor, means for moving said ram with respect to said support, acut ter carrier mounted on said ram, and meansdor rotating saidcutter, said rotating means including a shaft and a member offset from said ram,

said oflfset member including a plurality of bearings, a plurality of shafts and a plurality of gears, one of said shafts comprising said cutter carrier, and a work piece carrying assembly including a cradle mounted for swinging, and means for swinging said cradle, and a work carrying spindle mounted on said said spindle.

13. In combination in a gear generating mechanism a movablymounted supporting member, a support therefor, means for moving said supporting member with respect to said support, and a cutter carrier mounted on said supporting mem ber and including av part offset with respect thereto, a cutter mounted on said carrier for ro-' tation and means for rotating said cutter, a work piece carrying assembly including a. cradle, mounted for swinging, and means for swinging ,said cradle and a work carrying part rotatably mounted on said cradle and, means for rotating I said part, said means including a driving member positioned coaxially with the axis of swinging of saidcradle and including also a geared reduction drive supported by said cradle.

14. In combination in a gear generating mechanism a movably mounted supporting member, a support therefor, means for moving said supporting member with respect tov said support, and a cutter carrier mounted on said supporting member and including a part offset with respect thereto, a, cutter mounted on said carrier forrotation andmeans for rotating said cutter, a workpiece carrying assembly including a cradle, mounted for swinging, and means for swinging said cradle i and a work carrying part rotatably mounted on,

said cradle and means for rotating said part, said means including a driving member positioned coaxiallywith the axis of swinging of said cradle H and including also a. geared reduction drive supported by said cradle, the longitudinal axis of said supporting member and the swinging axis of said cradle intersecting each other.

SYDNEY c. WATSON.

cradle, and means for rotating 

